Chapter 12
Ace
The bass from the speakers rattles the old pipes in the ceiling, and half the crowd is already dancing like they forgot this is a historic brownstone and not a New York City club.
Dickson athletes and random city kids are packed shoulder to shoulder, shouting over the music, spilling drinks, and pretending this isn’t the third party this week hosted by Greg Landers and Holden Olsen.
Greg and Holden moved in early for soccer preseason, and apparently that means they’re determined to make this place the social nucleus of the summer. I met them in Rocks for Jocks last semester—formally called Intro to Geology—and got added to the VIP list.
Which, yeah, not a big surprise there. It’s me.
I haven’t had a chance to attend one of their parties before this, though, because of my busy social schedule, and for as much fun as it seems like everyone else is having, I’m fucking miserable.
I sip my soda and scan the crowd again. Still no Julia. Obviously. She’s on a date with…whatshisname.
“I just…don’t know what she sees in him is all I’m saying,” I complain, sipping from my soda again while Finn and Scottie briefly share a look. “He looks like the kind of guy who plays acoustic guitar on purpose. At parties. And he’s kind of weird-looking too, don’t you think?”
“He’s not that bad, Ace.” Scottie chews her lip.
It’s almost like she’s fighting a smile, which, clearly, I’m seeing things.
There is absolutely nothing to be smiling about right now.
“And he’s a pretty nice guy. I met him a couple times last year, and he’s not like most of the other rich jocks I’ve met. ”
My blood runs cold, and Finn clears his throat, evidently choking on what a fucking idiot I am to convince myself Julia fucking Brooks, a goddess if I’ve ever known one, is giving time and interest to a loser.
“And,” Scottie adds, leaning into Finn’s side, “he does seem like he really likes her.”
I narrow my eyes. “Yeah? Well, so does every other guy who’s ever seen her walk into a room. Doesn’t mean he’s qualified.”
“Qualified for what?” Finn smirks. “To be her boyfriend—or survive a conversation with you about it?”
“All I’m saying is he’s not right for her. Even if he’s a saint or some shit like you’re saying, he’s still a bad match,” I counter, trying to knock some sense into their heads. I don’t know why they’re even attempting to defend that douche. “I mean, he wants to be with Julia. Immediate red flag.”
“Why is that a red flag?” Finn asks, searching my face closely.
Why, Finn? Because I want to be with Julia. And only one of us gets to win that game.
I clear my throat. “Because Julia is too sweet and kind to be with a frat guy like him. His formal wear collection probably revolves around a toga and golf polos. There’s no style. No pizzazz. No fucking personality. He might as well be a cardboard box.”
“Technically,” Finn cuts in, “that attire thing is kind of accurate.”
“Finally, man.” Eyes wide, I nod. “Finally, you’re seeing what I’m seeing.”
“I don’t know if I’m seeing what you’re seeing,” Finn retorts. “But sure.”
“You are, Finn,” I tell him. “Trust me, you are.”
Finn doesn’t say anything to that, and Scottie just nods. Clearly, the two of them are just coming to terms with the fact that my beautiful Julia is on a date with a frat douche.
I take another swig of soda to finish the can and crush it in my hand. Music pounds so loudly in my ears, I can hardly think, and my anxiety feels like it’s running at an eleven.
What would normally be a fun environment feels like a torture chamber.
“Hey, Ace,” a girl in a hot-pink dress and brown hair says, stopping just inside my personal space. She has a flirtatious smile on her lips, and I’m pretty sure her name is Penelope. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Surprise.” I smile to be friendly. “I’m here.”
“Well, it’s good to see you.” She giggles and twirls a strand of her hair around her finger. “Want to come dance with me?”
“Penelope, I appreciate the offer,” I answer, doing my best to still be friendly and let her down easy. “But that pretty dress of yours deserves a guy in a better mood than I am tonight.”
“Oh no,” she says, her lips turning into a pout. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?” I laugh despite myself. “What isn’t wrong, Penny?”
“Maybe I can help lift your mood…?” she offers, and her eyelashes flutter over her green eyes. “You know, I can be a lot of fun.”
“I’m sure you can be, but I’m going to sit this one out.” I flash another smile at her. “Though, it would make my night if you make sure you have a good time for me.”
She smiles back. “I think I can do that.”
Eventually, she walks away, and both Finn and Scottie stare at me.
“What?” I question, and Scottie cracks up.
“Pretty sure most guys would kill for that kind of attention, Ace,” she says, and all I can think is, most guys aren’t trying to win the girl who already knows everything about them.
“Okay, Ace. What the hell is going on?” Finn claps a hand on my shoulder. “I’m starting to get the feeling we need to stage some kind of intervention, but I don’t know what the fuck the intervention is for. Are you on drugs? Drinking? Porn addiction?”
I sigh. “Finnley, I wish I had a porn addiction.”
“Ace Kelly, you do not mean that.” Scottie cracks up, but I’m not laughing. “Okay, yeah, what is going on with you?”
I look at Finn and Scottie, at their happy fucking faces, at the way their hands are clutched together, and they probably don’t even realize it because everything is perfect in their happy little love bubble.
“I want what you two have.”
Finn furrows his brow. “Common sense?”
“Love,” I say, completely ignoring the teasing jab.
“You want to be in love?” Scottie questions.
“I want Julia’s love.” The words come out as a whisper, but somehow, they both manage to hear it over the party. “Because I’ve had the earth-shattering realization that I’m in love with her.”
I wait for their shocked reactions. I wait for Finn’s eyes to bulge out of his head and Scottie’s jaw to hit the tops of her knees. I wait and I wait and I wait, but it never comes.
And then I remember what Blake said to me that night outside of Groove.
“You guys knew too, huh?”
They both nod.
“Well, fuck,” I mutter and run a hand through my hair. “Would’ve been nice if someone would’ve let me in on this very important information.”
“Pretty sure you had to have that realization yourself, man,” Finn says and squeezes my shoulder.
“Oh, don’t worry. I have.” I sigh, and for once in my life, the sounds of the booming music and people laughing and chatting aren’t music to my ears.
“This party sucks and I’m itchy.” I pull at the collar of my shirt.
“We texted Blake, and he bailed. Half these people are freshmen trying to impress seniors, and I just don’t have the energy for it.
Are you guys having fun? Or can we beat feet and shit? ”
Finn and Scottie share another look—always with the fucking telepathic conversation bullshit—before Finn speaks as a representative of their couple council.
“Sure, man, we can leave. You wanna go to Zip’s and get some food?”
“Yeah,” I agree, my wheels spinning. “Whatever. Let’s just get out of here.” An idea hatches. “Actually, you know what? I know exactly where we can go.”
“All right, dude. Lead the way.”
“Ace, why the fuck are we in Central Park?”
“Don’t worry about it, Finn,” I say, scooting a little deeper into the bushes to get a good look at Julia and the fuckface on the other side of the grassy lawn. He’s got a stupid picnic set up, while other people chat and lounge and throw Frisbees around them in the moonlight.
“Ace, isn’t this where Julia said Drew was taking her?” Scottie asks.
After we left the party, I was able to keep my idea to come spy on Julia’s date under wraps because of the proximity to my parents’ penthouse.
Finn and Scottie assumed we were either going there or to an establishment close by that I frequent because of living in the neighborhood.
Neither of them said anything or asked any questions to confirm, though, so really, it’s on them for trusting me so much when they should know how impulsive I can be.
“What?” I feign confusion. “No. Is it?”
“Oh my God, Ace. You didn’t.” Scottie’s voice is soft and defeated and more than a little disappointed.
The funny thing is, it doesn’t bother me, even though I know deep down in the land of rational thought that it should. Right now, all that matters is Julia and my obsession over the fact that some other fucker could be putting his tongue down her very perfect throat at this very moment.
“I didn’t what?” I ask, playing the part of the innocent fool just like my father taught me.
“Ace, I’m telling you right now, it is not a good idea for us to interrupt Julia and Drew’s date,” Finn insists. “It will not go over how you’d like, I promise.”
“That’s not… Oh my goodness, Finnley. You don’t think I planned this, do you?”
Scottie grimaces and shakes her head. “Oh man, we’re in trouble. We’re all in a lot of trouble.”
“No, no,” Finn corrects. “Ace is in trouble. You and I are smart enough to stay right fucking here in the bushes Ace put us in. Julia’s never going to know we were a part of this, and if she ever does find out, I will tell the tale of our hostagehood.”
“I’m not going to go over there.” I hold up both hands in the air. “I’m not.”
Finn lets out a heavy sigh. “Sure.”
“What? You don’t believe me?”
“Not even for one fucking second.”
“Smart,” I finally admit. “Because I definitely have to go over there.”
I lean into the bush as Drew brushes some hair out of Julia’s face, and my stomach clenches. Fuck that guy! Fucking fuck that guy for thinking he is deserving enough to even lay a finger on her!
Scottie reaches up and touches my arm gently, and I do my best not to flip out on a friend who doesn’t deserve it.